Total Escape Outside » Lakes & Reservoirs http://www.totalescape.com/outside California Recreation Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:03:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Los Angeles Lakes http://www.totalescape.com/outside/lakes/los-angeles-lakes/ http://www.totalescape.com/outside/lakes/los-angeles-lakes/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:04:47 +0000 DanaMite http://www.totalescape.com/outside/lakes/los-angeles-lakes/ Los Angeles County Lakes

lake piru

Piru Lake is located N of Los Angeles, off Hwy 126

nearby towns -

Angeles Maps – hiking, OHV & mountain biking -

]]> http://www.totalescape.com/outside/lakes/los-angeles-lakes/feed/ 0 Lake Tahoe Campground http://www.totalescape.com/outside/campsites/campground/lake-tahoe-campground/ http://www.totalescape.com/outside/campsites/campground/lake-tahoe-campground/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:05:13 +0000 DanaMite http://www.totalescape.com/outside/campsites/campground/lake-tahoe-campground/ Lake Tahoe Campgrounds

sierra buttes California

Lake Tahoe California
Lake Tahoe campground reservations:

campground elev spots veg toilet water notes
Bayview Campground 6000′ 10 pines vault - Emerald Bay, SLT
Camp Richardson Tahoe 6500′ 330 pines flush piped South Lake Tahoe
Campground by the Lake 6000′ 157 pines flush piped South Lake Tahoe
D.L. Bliss State Park 6000′ 168 pines flush piped Westshore, Lake Tahoe
Eagle Point Tahoe 6100′ 100 pines flush piped California State Park
Emerald Bay State Park 6000′ 16 pines flush piped South Lake Tahoe
Fallen Leaf Lake Campground 6737′ 205 pines flush piped South Lake Tahoe
General Creek Campground 6000′ 175 pines flush piped Westshore, Lake Tahoe
Kaspian Campground 5800′ 20 pines flush piped Westshore, Homewood CA
Lake Forest Campground 6300′ 21 pines flush piped Northshore, Tahoe Vista CA
Meeks Bay Campground 6000′ 17 pines flush piped Westshore, Tahoma CA
Mount Rose Campground 8500′ 24 pines flush piped Stateline Nevada Tahoe
Nevada Beach Campground 6200′ 54 pines flush piped Nevada Lake Tahoe
Pope Beach Campground 6000′ 49 pines flush piped South Lake Tahoe
Sandy Beach Campground 6300′ 44 pines flush piped Northshore, Tahoe Vista CA
Silver Creek Campground 5800′ 26 pines vault piped Truckee River fishing
Sugar Pine Point SP 6200′ 30 pines flush piped Westshore, Tahoma CA
Tahoe Pines Campground 6000′ 49 pines flush piped Meyers California
Tahoe Valley Campground 6000′ 413 pines flush piped South Lake Tahoe
Tahoe Campground SRA 6200′ 16 pines flush piped Westshore, Tahoe City
William Kent State Park 6300′ 95 pines flush piped Westshore, Tahoe City
Zephyr Cove Campground 6200′ 170 pines flush piped boat rentals Tahoe NV

All Tahoe Campgrounds charge a feee; Nightly rates vary per park. Most campgrounds are closed during the winter due to snow. Check with the ranger districts listed above.

Tahoe Campgrounds, Tahoe National Forest located away from Lake Tahoe Basin

campground elev spots veg toilet water notes
Ahart Campground 5300′ 12 pines vault - American River
Alpine Meadows 5900′ 25 pines vault - Martis Creek
Bear Valley Campground 6600 10 pines vault piped OHV trails, Sierraville
Berger Campground 5900 7 pines vault lake Packer Lake, fishing
Big Reservoir Campground 4000 18 pines vault piped no motor lake, Foresthill
Boca Campground 5605′ 26 pines vault - boat launch
Boca Rest Campground 5605′ 25 pines vault piped on Boca Reservoir
Boca Spring Campground 5800′ 17 pines vault piped horses
Bowman Lake 5585 7 - vault lake near Grouse Ridge
Boyington Mill Campground 5680′ 12 - vault - near Boca Reservoir
Cal-Ida Campground 2000′ 21 - vault piped Yuba River, Downieville
Canyon Creek Campground 6000′ 20 - vault creek near Faucherie Lake
Carlton Flat Campground 2200′ 21 pines vault piped Yuba River, Downieville
Carr Lake Campground 5900′ 5 - vault lake Carr Feeley Lake
Chapman Creek Camp 6000′ 29 - vault piped Yuba River, Sierra City
Chute Hill Campground 3400′ 30 - flush piped Malakoff Diggins SP
Cold Creek Campground 5800′ 13 - vault piped Sierraville Camping
Cottonwood Campground 5600′ 24 - vault piped Sierraville Camping
Dark Day Campground 2200′ 16 oaks vault piped walk in, Bullards Bar Res.
Diablo Campground 5800′ 20 pines vault - Packer Creek, Lake
Donner State Park Camp 5850′ 154 pines flush - Donner Pass; Lake
East Meadow Campground 6100′ 46 pines flush piped Jackson Reservoir
Fiddle Creek Campground 2200′ 15 oaks vault piped Yuba River, Downieville
Findley Campground 6100′ 14 pines flush piped
Fir Top Campground 6100′ 12 pines vault - Jackson Meadow Res.
French Meadows Camp 5300′ 75 pines vault - French Meadows Res.
Garden Point Campground 2000′ 19 variety vault - fishing boats
Giant Gap Campground 3700′ 30 pines vault - fishing boats
Goose Meadow Campground 5800′ 24 pines vault piped fishing near Donner
Grouse Ridge Campground 7400′ 9 - vault -
Hampshire Rock 5800′ 31 - vault piped fishing camp
Independence Lake 6900′ 20 pines vault piped fishing, Sagehen Forest
Indian Springs Campground 5600′ 35 pines vault piped fishing, Yuba River OHV
Indian Valley Campground 2200′ 17 pines vault piped Yuba River, Downieville
Jackson Creek Campground 5600′ 14 - vault creek
Jackson Point Campground 6100′ 8 - vault Jackson Meadow Res.
Lakeside Campground 5700′ 41 - vault Prosser Reservoir
Lake Spaulding Campground 5000′ 24 - vault PG&E Campground
Laiser Meadow Horse Camping 6200′ 11 - vault piped High Sierra PCT access
Lewis Campground 5300′ 40 pines flush piped French Meadows Res.
Lindsey Lake Campground 5900′ 7 - vault lake
Lodgepole Camping 5800′ 18 - vault - Lake Valley Reservoir
Loganville Campground 6000′ 29 - vault piped Yuba River, Sierra City
Logger Campground 6000′ 252 pines flush piped Stampede Reservoir
Long Ravine Campground 2300′ 28 pines flush piped Rollins Reservoir, Colfax
Lower Little Truckee 6000′ 15 - vault piped Truckee River fishing
Madrone Cove Campground 2000′ 11 - vault - Bullards Bar Reservoir
Meadow Lake Campground 7200′ 15 - vault - Sierra fishing camp
Meadow Lake Shoreline 7200′ 10 - vault - High Sierra Nevada
Mumford Bar Campground 5300′ 5 - vault - Foresthill Road
North Fork Campground 4400′ 17 - vault piped biking, American River
Onion Valley Campground 2300′ 5 - vault - Sierra fishing camp
Orchard Springs Campground 2300′ 15 - flush piped Rollins Reservoir, Colfax
Pack Saddle Campground 6000′ 15 - vault pump
Parker Flat OHV Camping 3900′ 7 - vault - off roading trails
Pass Creek Campground 6100′ 30 - flush piped Jackson Meadow Res.
Peninsula Campground 2300′ 58 - flush piped Rollins Reservoir, Colfax
Pine Aire Campground 2700′ 75 - flush piped South Yuba River Camp
Poppy Campground 5300′ 12 - vault - French Meadows Res.
Prosser Campground 5800′ 29 - vault - Sierra fishing camp
Ramshorn Campground 2600′ 16 - vault piped Yuba River, Downieville
River Rest Campground 2700′ 105 - flush piped South Yuba River Camp
Robinson Flat Campground 6800′ 5 - vault well
Rocky Rest Campground 2300′ - - vault - Yuba River, Downieville
Rucker Campground 5800′ 10 pines vault - Rucker Lake fishing
Sagenhen Campground 6480′ 10 - vault -
Salmon Creek Campground 5800′ 32 pines vault - Sierra fishing creek
Sardine Campground 5800′ 29 pines vault - Sardine Lake fishing
Schoolhouse Campground 2200′ 56 oaks flush piped Bullards Bar Reservoir
Scott’s Flat Campground 3200′ 86 oaks flush piped Scotts Flat Reservoir
Shirttail Creek Campground 3700′ 30 - vault - Sugar Pine Reservoir
Sierra Campground 5600′ 16 pines vault - Yuba River, Sierra City
Silver Creek Campground 5800′ 27 pines vault - Truckee River fishing
Snag Lake Campground 6000′ 12 pines vault - Gold Lake California
South Yuba Campground 2700′ 16 - vault - South Yuba River Camp
Sterling Lake Campground 6500′ 6 - vault lake
Talbot Campground 5600′ 5 pines vault - American River
Union Flat Campground 3400′ 11 pines vault piped Yuba River, Downieville
Upper Little Truckee Camp 6100′ 26 pines vault - Truckee River fishing
Webber Lake Campground 6800′ 60 - vault lake Sierra fishing lake
White Cloud Campground 4200′ 46 - flush piped biking, Nevada City
White Rock Lake Camp 7800′ 8 pines none - High Sierra Nevada
Wild Plum Campground 4400′ 47 - vault piped waterfalls, Sierra City
Woodcamp Campground 6100′ 20 - flush piped
Woodchuck Campground 6300′ 8 - vault creek
Yuba Pass Campground 6700′ 12 - vault piped Yuba River, Downieville


Tahoe National Forest

TAHOE MAPS

]]> http://www.totalescape.com/outside/campsites/campground/lake-tahoe-campground/feed/ 0 Eastern Sierra Mountains http://www.totalescape.com/outside/sightsee/eastern-sierra-mountains/ http://www.totalescape.com/outside/sightsee/eastern-sierra-mountains/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:49:19 +0000 DanaMite http://www.totalescape.com/outside/sightsee/eastern-sierra-mountains/ Eastern Sierra Mountains / Eastern Sierras California

mount tom

Wilderness seeker John Muir called the Eastern Sierra, the range of light. It’s desery & drastic. Tons of granite & wild-ness. The impressive, tallest peak in the lower 48, Mount Whitney towers at elevation 14888′ over the Owens River Valley. Death Valley meets mountains. Ancient volcanoes & fresh granite. Creeks are alive throughout summer. Alpine lake hikes & their wild flowers are incredible. Horseback trails, rentals, pack trips are very popular. Total Escape even list high country Inyo 4×4 routes, that overlook Bishop.

Eastern Sierra forest & parks -
Inyo National Forest
Toiyabe National Forest – north (Carson)
Toiyabe National Forest – south (Bridgeport)
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

inyo maps

Eastern Sierra maps & trails -

Eastern Sierra towns -
Aspendell, Big Pine, Bishop, Crowley Lake, June Lake, Lee Vining, Lone Pine, Mammoth, Olancha, Toms Place

cottonwood lakes

]]> http://www.totalescape.com/outside/sightsee/eastern-sierra-mountains/feed/ 0 Central Valley CA http://www.totalescape.com/outside/sightsee/central-valley-ca/ http://www.totalescape.com/outside/sightsee/central-valley-ca/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:03:44 +0000 DanaMite http://www.totalescape.com/outside/?p=625 The Great Central Valley of California, also known as the San Joaquin Valley – where agriculture thrives & smog settles. This huge valley bordered by the Pacific Ocean & the Sierra Nevada mountain range, is the one of the biggest farm lands of agriculture in the US. The food that feeds the world is grown right here in the Center of California – the San Joaquin Valley. Vegetables, fruits, garlic, onions, nuts, you name it.

Central Valley residents can easily enjoy the neighboring Central Coast, Historic Gold Country, and the Sierra Nevada mountains, plus The City (San Francisco) is not too far away either. Since the capital city of Sacto has a port of entry, the California Delta & surrounding waterways, make for excellent fishing, boating & camping.

www.flickr.com

Unfortunately it is one of the worse smog basins on the west coast. The upper & lower Central Valley see the worst of it, as wind pushes the emissions right up against the mountains. Summertime heat accelerates & magnifies the poor quality of air.

California Country – CA Countryside Communities

California Central Valley Map

Counties, Cities & Towns of the San Joaquin Valley:
(south to north)

Kern County
Tulare County
Kings County
Madera County
Fresno County
Merced County
Stanislaus County
San Joaquin County
Solano County
Sacramento County
Yuba County
Sutter County
Yolo County
Colusa County
Glenn County
Butte County
Tehama County
Shasta County

Central Valley State Parks & points of interest:
(south to north)

Henry W Coe State Park
San Juan Bautista State Historical Park
Hollister Hills OHV Park
Pinnacles National Monument
Kern National Wildlife Reserve
Kesterson National Wildlife Reserve
San Luis National Wildlife Reserve
Merced National Wildlife Reserve
Honey Run Covered Bridge
Oroville Wildlife Area
Spenceville Wildlife Management & Recreation Area
Lake Oroville State Recreation Area
Mount Diablo State Park
Sherman Island Waterfowl Management Area
Grizzly Island Waterfowl Management Area
Cache Creek
Sutter National Wildlife Reserve
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
Colusa National Wildlife Reserve
Delevan National Wildlife Reserve
Sacramento National Wildlife Reserve
Mill Creek Wilderness
Ishi Wilderness
Tehama State Wildlife Area
Shasta-Trinity NRA
Whiskeytown Reservoir NRA

California Central Valley Lakes & Reservoirs:
(south to north)

Buena Vista Reservoir
Lake Nacimiento
Lake San Antonio
Lake Success
Lake Kaweah
Pine Flat Reservoir
San Luis Reservoir
Millerton Lake
Hensley Lake
Mariposa Lake
Lake McClure
Turlock Lake
Don Pedro Lake
Tulloch Reservoir
New Melones Lake
Woodward Reservoir
Salt Springs Valley Reservoir
New Hogan Lake
Comanche Reservoir
Lake Amador
Pardee Reservoir
Lake Natoma
Folsom Lake
Lake Combie
Lake Berryessa
Clear Lake
Collins Lake
New Bullards Bar Reservoir
Lake Oroville
Indian Valley Reservoir
East Park Reservoir
Stony Gorge Reservoir
Black Butte Lake

for more lakes in California, check the LAKES LIST

]]> http://www.totalescape.com/outside/sightsee/central-valley-ca/feed/ 0 Wilderness Lakes http://www.totalescape.com/outside/hikes/wilderness-lakes/ http://www.totalescape.com/outside/hikes/wilderness-lakes/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:15:34 +0000 DanaMite http://www.totalescape.com/outside/?p=470 Lake Genevieve

lake in ca / calif lakes / lake elevation / geology lakes

hike in lakes

Wilderness lakes are as pure as it gets. No cattle, no roads nearby. Snow melt, cool days, good fishing, great mountain scenery, granite, fresh air & clean water. You have to really wanna reach them. You must physically WORK to get to these remote alpine wonderlands – hike, bike, or horseback. Most prefer to backpack in and stay a while. Why not? These puppies are ONLY ACCESSIBLE a few months outta the whole year. May as well enjoy them while you can. The rest of the time most of them are frozen solid or buried with tons of serious snow. Wilderness areas do not allow dogs or mountain bikes on trails, so plan accordingly.

California is lucky to have hundreds of lakes within protected wilderness areas. Almost all are gorgeous and have very limited access. While we haven’t yet been able to hike every Wilderness in Cali, we will leave you with the best links with could find & a way to buy some maps. Most Wilderness topo maps are printed on waterproof plastic these days. The most popular topographical maps sell out often, and can be outta stock or outta print for months, or even years. The less popular areas still have the old paper maps.

Ansel Adams Wilderness

  • NFS Map is OUTTA PRINT

Bucks Lake Wilderness

Carson Iceberg Wilderness

Desolation Wilderness

Granite Chief Wilderness

Emigrant Wilderness

Hoover Wilderness

John Muir Wilderness

Lassen National Park

Mokelumne Wilderness

Monarch Wilderness (Kings Cyn)

Jennie Lakes Wilderness

Thousand Lakes Wilderness

Trinity Alps Wilderness

  • NFS Map is OUTTA PRINT

Yosemite National Park

wild California

Forget the hike!
If you are seeking a remote mountain lake that you can drive to, you will need to search for one that has the fewest people. A 4WD vehicle will help you exit the tourist traps, thru plenty of the back roads we feature. Always steer clear of crowded, holiday weekends.  See the CA LAKE LIST here!

A few regions more with pristine lakes, but not dubbed Wilderness:

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